Why South Carolina’s transfer portal losses look worse than they actually are
The transfer portal, if nothing else, is exhausting.
It has this feeling of a prolonged storm and our social media feeds becoming the same picture with different details: Player X is transferring. Quarterback X is transferring. “With that being said…” “It’s in God’s hands now…”
And there is no time to process. A normal high school recruiting cycle takes years. First there’s the observation, then contact, then phone calls, unofficial visits and a few official visits, then a commitment just before senior year, sometimes later.
The transfer portal is college football’s speed dating. Take this for example: Florida International wide receiver Kris Mitchell — who South Carolina and many other schools were reportedly after — announced he was headed in the transfer portal on Nov. 28. He was in South Bend a few days later and committed to Notre Dame just a week after entering the portal.
The father of one quarterback in the transfer portal put the process this way: “It’s moving in warp speed.”
For South Carolina, though, it seems like only the bad news has moved at warp speed. Last Thursday alone, reports trickled in that six different Gamecocks were entering the transfer portal — and, at that point, portal wasn’t even open yet. It officially opened on Monday, and less than three days later, 16 Gamecocks are in there looking for new homes.
That number is daunting.
The reality is not.
Here is the list of the 16 former Gamecocks who have entered the transfer portal since USC’s season ended:
QB: Tanner Bailey, Colten Gauthier
OL: JonDarius Morgan, Grayson Mains
WR: Juice Wells, O’Mega Blake, Landon Samson, Zavier Short, Kylic Horton
DL: Xzavier McLeod, Felix Hixon, D’Andre Martin
DB: Kajuan Banks, Isaiah Norris
Edge: Donovan Westmoreland
PK: Mitch Jeter
Form the Gamecocks’ offense 2023, that group accounted for just over 6% of the total yards (Blake accounts for almost all of that) and 1.6% of the USC’s total tackles (no portal player had more than eight stops).
Yes, it hurts that Wells is bolting. It’s tough because of how spectacular he was in the 2022 upsets of Tennessee and Clemson. Because of the NIL sacrifices South Carolina made to ensure he got paid. Because his USC career is going to end with fans skeptical that Wells’ absence this season was all because of an injury.
But here’s the truth: He hardly played in 2023 and South Carolina was fine. At some point, the Gamecocks have to trust WRs coach Justin Stepp to develop a guy like Nyck Harbor the way he did Xavier Legette. You’ve also got to trust that the Gamecocks can pull a talented receiver in from the portal — just as they snatched Wells from James Madison years ago.
The only other guy who was a projected starter at South Carolina and left was Jeter, the USC kicker who nailed 23 of his 25 field-goal attempts this season. And, really, that was just bizarre. How often do good kickers transfer? In any case, the Gamecocks can replace a kicker. They have a sixth-year senior (Alex Herrera) ready to step in and a highly touted commitment (Mason Love) for the future.
One could make an argument Blake is on that list. The former South Pointe High star caught 19 passes for 250 yards last season and perhaps he would have developed — maybe even started — but he is not irreplaceable.
So let’s take a step back.
Yes, 16 former South Carolina players are in the transfer portal. But, really, the Gamecocks lost three guys. That is a win.
It is OK to have guys transfer. There are the guys who transfer because of politics and NIL and promises. Then there are guys who enter the transfer portal because they just want an opportunity, a real chance of playing. Just as the latter group should not be chastised, the team they left shouldn’t be either.
Hopefully, as South Carolina fans look across the country, they find some solace. The quarterback who nearly led Ohio State to an undefeated season and a playoff berth is in the portal. Oregon State has two star quarterbacks looking to leave. It seems half of Texas A&M’s former five-stars are transferring.
It could be worse. Much worse. Heck, one could argue South Carolina losing 14 guys — including RB MarShawn Lloyd and edge Jordan Burch — to the portal a year ago was more damaging than the departures this season.
And with each passing hour, a massive shock becomes less likely.
We have already seen posts by The Garnet Trust, South Carolina’s official NIL collective, that seem to indicate a number of expected starters are staying put. Among those the collective has signed: DL Alex “Boogie” Huntley, DL Tonka Hemingway, DL T.J. Sanders, DB Jalon Kilgore, LB Bam Martin-Scott, OL Tree Babalade, TE Joshua Simon and QB/WR Luke Doty.
The caveat: It is still early. Who knows, safety Nick Emmanwori or running back Mario Anderson could enter the portal tomorrow. We would have a different discussion then. For now, though, South Carolina fans should consider themselves lucky. The storm was not a hurricane.
This story was originally published December 6, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
